His recent actions may seem like micromanaging, but they reveal a darker intent. In his first term, Trump received vociferous condemnation from most in the culture industry, particularly in Hollywood. He doesn’t intend to let speech flow unfettered this second time around. Fascism’s perseveration about cultural control can’t help but recall the repressed and the libidinal, such as Hitler’s obsession over his failure as a painter contributing to his desire to be seen as a great artist, working not with paints and canvas but with people and the nation. Even here, Trump’s own humiliation at being an outer borough has-been never fully accepted in Manhattan is the emotional impetus to his middle finger to the arts establishment.
Though
Trump never wanted to be a painter, he has clearly always wanted to be
an actor. In a sense, he is — one with a massive international stage.
Just as Hitler drew upon all of the creative energies of German culture
to evil result, so too could only the United States produce a Trump — a
carnival barker and medicine man, shock jock and pornographer, reality
show star and pro-wrestler. The Nazis traded in German kitsch, and so
MAGA will trade in Americana. Last week, Trump posted
an AI-generated image of himself as a conductor before the National
Orchestra with the caption “Welcome to the New Kennedy Center!” As the
maestro takes up his baton and the rough beast slouches toward
Washington, we must, as artists and critics, ask ourselves: How can we
preserve our souls?
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